Tim Hudson vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Tim Hudson and Cliff Lee are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Tim Hudson played 1999–2015 as a pitcher; Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Tim Hudson (1999–2015) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — they debuted in the 1990s and the 2000s respectively and share 13 seasons. Tim Hudson finished with 222 wins and 2,080 strikeouts; Cliff Lee finished with 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Tim Hudson, with 3.49 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Tim Hudson, with 222 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Tim Hudson, with 2,080 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Tim Hudson's 1.24.
- How many innings did each pitch? Tim Hudson 3,126.2, Cliff Lee 2,156.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Tim Hudson, with 13 to Cliff Lee's 12.
Tim Hudson
Cliff Lee
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Tim Hudson | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 222 | 143 |
| Losses not scored | 133 | 91 |
| Games not scored | 482 | 328 |
| Games Started not scored | 479 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 26 | Leads: 29 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 13 | 12 |
| Saves not scored | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,080 | 1,824 |
| Walks not scored | 917 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 2,957 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 248 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 3,126.2 | 2,156.2 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.49 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | 1.24 | Leads: 1.20 |
| K/9 | 5.99 | Leads: 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 2.64 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee edges Tim Hudson 41,719 to 40,402 — driven by per-season impact — 3,209 PIV per season to 2,377 — rather than by longevity, since Cliff Lee played 13 seasons to Tim Hudson's 17. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Tim Hudson — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Tim Hudson and Cliff Lee split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Cliff Lee higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Tim Hudson and Cliff Lee careers compare
The careers of Tim Hudson (1999–2015) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) overlapped from 2002 to 2014, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. With 482 games against 328 across 17 and 13 PIV seasons, neither player's totals owe much to extra seasons. Where Cliff Lee comes out ahead, it is in complete games (29 to 26), WHIP (1.20 to 1.24), and strikeouts per nine (7.61 to 5.99). The per-nine rows read 5.99 strikeouts and 2.64 walks for Tim Hudson, 7.61 and 1.94 for Cliff Lee. Both had the same role: Tim Hudson was mainly a starter (479 starts in 482 games); Cliff Lee was mainly a starter (324 starts in 328 games).
Tim Hudson vs Cliff Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Tim Hudson or Cliff Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Tim Hudson, with 3.49 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Tim Hudson, with 222 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Tim Hudson, with 2,080 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cliff Lee, with 1.20 to Tim Hudson's 1.24.